THREAD: Communications Secretary Martin Andanar speaks to government officials on the COVID-19 pandemic | LIVE http://bit.ly/33XhNjA 

Updates by our digital producer @PiaGarciaHere

Economist Prof. Gary Olivar says the country is on the right track on slowly opening the economy

Economist Olivar: Ang nagdala po ng mabagal ngunit na patuloy na pagbangon natin ay ang government spending

Economist Olivar says he hopes that churches will slowly open as well because they also follow protocol to stay safe

Economist Olivar: May panganib na the country's economic recovery may be slower than its neighbors, but we can only recover on our own pace

Economist Olivar says the problems inherited by the Duterte administration from past administrations have contributed to the present economic conditions, but the country is slowly recovering

Economist Olivar says he is happy that more contact tracers were hired because it was one thing lacking in the country's COVID-19 response

Economist Olivar: I think by closing this tracing gap, pwede na tayong maging mas targeted or mas refined ang mga lockdown na ginagawa natin at mas lalo po itong makakatulong sa pagbilis ng ating recovery

Economist Olivar says a COVID-19 vaccine would be a key factor in raising the spirits and confidence of people

Economist Olivar: Ang bagong projection ng NEDA, is over the next two years ay mga 3.7% per anum na lang po ang average growth natin per year

Supreme Court Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta says he cannot comment on issues concerning to the overlaying crushed dolomite along part of the Manila baywalk as it would still have to be resolved in November

Chief Justice Peralta: I cannot give my personal opinion kasi the CJ will be the first one to violate the rule on sub judice

Chief Justice Peralta says he can't recall if a writ of kalikasan has been filed

Chief Justice Peralta: This is the case, it is a petition to intervene because they are not parties to the original case. So if you want to participate in a case, usually those who can file the petitions are parties

Chief Justice Peralta: But because they are not the original parties, nagfile sila ng petition for intervention. If the intervention is granted, then to cite the DENR for contempt of court because of disobedience to a continuing mandamus. Yun ata ang pending

Economist Olivar says it is a good sign that the European Union has chosen the country to be site of the supply chain business relocation

Economist Olivar: I'm happy that in spite of the political differences, namamayani pa rin ang pagkilala nila sa ating mga advantages to contribute sa global value chains

Economist Olivar says the country has to fix the issues that are preventing investors from coming to the country

NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad says they have been meeting to prepare for the rainy season long before its onset

Executive director Jalad says the NDRRMC has released a memo stating that emergency response should be aligned with IATF and DOH guidelines related to COVID-19

NDRRMC executive director says they are coordinating with LGUs to make sure that there will be sufficient evacuation centers given the pandemic

DENR Usec. Benny Antiporda on Manila Bay dolomite sand: Puro kasinungalingan po yung sinabing nagwash out yung white sand. Ang nangyari talaga ay wash in. Pumasok yung itim na buhangin at pumatong sa puting dolomite

DENR Usec. Antiporda: Yung ganito po talagang beachfront or natural beach ay nililinis talaga, kahit saang parte ng mundo, talagang mine-maintain ito. Hindi pa mine-maintain ngayon dahil ito ay still under the jurisdiction of the contractor

DENR Usec. Antiporda: Pinakita sa media na there is about 2-3 inch thick black sand na nakapatong sa white sand. Sa madaling salita, walang na-wash out. Hindi nabawasan ang white dolomite at nadagdagan tayo ng sand galing sa dagat

DENR Usec. Antiporda on the offer of UP Institute of Biology to help rehabilitate Manila Bay by planting mangroves instead of using crushed dolomite: All the projects here in Manila Bay have their own place

DENR Usec. Antiporda: Baseco area wherein we have our wetland. You cannot put it in the baywalk area wherein it will destroy the landscape. Hindi magandang tignan. And at the same time hindi mabubuhay sa lugar na ito yung mangrove

DENR Usec. Antiporda: Sa mga nagkokometo, baka ho pwedeng magtanong muna sa DENR bago sila magkomento

DENR Usec. Antiporda on UP experts offer to help rehabilitate Manila Bay: Doon naman sa offer nila na handa silang tumulong sa amin, as long as it is for free tatanggapin po namin yung tulong nila

DENR Usec. Antiporda: Base po sa pag-aaral ng iyong lingkod, kalahting bilyon po ang binayaran sa kanila simula 2016 hanggang taong ito. Kalahating bilyon na puro lang konsultasyon walang infrastructure, wala lahat. Kalahating bilyon ang binyaran natin sa UP na 'yan

DENR Usec. Antiporda: Ang UP po sa pagkakaalam natin ay libre 'yan. Bakit kayo naniningil sa gobyerno matapos kayong pag-aralin ng taongbayan. Matapos kayo maging iskolar ng taongbayan, sisipsipin ninyo ang dugo ng taongbayan sa dami ng kinuha niyong pondo?

DENR Usec. Antiporda says UP experts have no rights to criticize Manila Bay: Ngayong may ginagawa kaming maganda kailangan magbayad kami sa inyo? Huwag naman. Hindi niyo karapatang batikusin ito dahil bayaran kayo. Yun lang po ang masasabi ko sa UP. Uulit-ulitin ko, bayaran kayo

DENR Usec. Antiporda on accusations of the crushed dolomite being washed out: Before you come up with allegations of it (white sand) being washed out, maybe you can visit it on your own to find out personally rather than giving statements na walang facts or basis

DENR Usec. Antiporda says there is an attempt to discredit the government on this project: Next year alam natin na election fever na po, kung kaya't ayaw nilang magtagumpay ang proyekto na ito

DENR Usec. Antiporda on allegations that the company where the crushed dolomite is sourced from was built solely for the purpose of providing the sand to Manila Bay: The company has been operating for 39 years... This project only started last year, bakit nila sa'tin sinisisi yun

DENR Usec. Antiporda: We have issued a cease and desist order because there's an issue in environmental protection. Isasapalaran natin itong proyekto ng Manila Bay para maprotektahan natin ang ating kalikasan. 'Yan ang sinabi ni Sec. Roy Cimatu

DENR Usec. Antiporda: Ang DENR ay pinasubject sa audit ng mga grupong ito na bumabatikos sa atin na sinagot naman natin agad

DENR Usec. Antiporda: We are now calling the attention of the COA to conduct an audit against UP, especially UP Marine Science Institute, sa lahat po ng pondong ginastos namin sa kanila which is about half a billion pesos since 2016

DENR Usec. Antiporda: Yung buong UP system, mga kalahating bilyon ang ginastos namin. One particular project na ginastos namin sa UP system is noong 2016 nagbigay po kami ng ₱210 billion without any infrastructre

DENR Usec. Antiporda to UP experts: Saan ninyo ginastos yang ₱210 billion, pakipaliwanang sa taong bayan. Baka akala ng taong bayan, libre kayo

DENR Usec. Antipoirda: Maglalagay lang ho kami rito ng buhangin at pagandahin yung bay, kailangan pa kami magbayad sa inyo, I don't think that is fair to the Filipino people